Exploring the impact of short sleep on hypertension prevalence in the Chinese population: dose-response relationships, standardisation, and health behaviours

Explore the association between short sleep and hypertension risk in the Chinese population. Data from the 2020 Chinese Psychological and Behavioural Study of the Population were utilised. Restricted cubic spline models assessed dose-response relationships between sleep duration and hypertension risk. A binary logistic regression model, incorporating propensity score matching, explored the true association between short sleep duration and hypertension risk in the Chinese population. In addition, using binary logistic regression models examined the association between &gt;5 h of sleep and hypertension risks and the impact of health behaviours on hypertension risk among short sleepers. Sleep duration and hypertension risk exhibited a non-linear U-shaped pattern. ≤5-hour sleepers had a 32% reduced hypertension risk per additional hour of sleep post-matching. &gt;5-hour sleep didn’t affect hypertension risk. Among ≤5-hour sleepers, smoking and prolonged fixed position work increased hypertension risk by 128 and 103.4%, respectively, while engaging in physical activity for over six months reduced it by 63.7%. The 5-hour sleep threshold represents a significant turning point for hypertension risk in the Chinese population studied and could serve as a criterion for defining short sleep. Lifestyle modifications such as quitting smoking, adjusting posture during work, and maintaining regular exercise routines can mitigate hypertension risk among individuals with short sleep duration. <b>What is the context?</b> Modern lifestyles have led to reduced sleep duration, raising concerns about public health. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a major risk for heart disease, but studies on the link between short sleep and hypertension show conflicting results. Some research suggests short sleep increases risk, while others find no connection. Additionally, there is no clear definition of ‘short sleep’ (e.g. ≤5, ≤6, or &lt;7 h), complicating comparisons across studies. <b>What is the study about?</b> This study investigated how sleep duration affects hypertension risk in 1,158 Chinese adults. It aimed to: Define a clear threshold for ‘short sleep’. Explore how lifestyle habits (e.g. smoking, exercise) interact with short sleep to influence hypertension. Use advanced statistical methods to reduce bias from factors like age, weight, and smoking. <b>What are the results?</b> ≤5-hour sleepers had a 32% reduced hypertension risk per additional hour of sleep post-matching. &gt;5-hour sleep didn’t affect hypertension risk. Among ≤5-hour sleepers, smoking and prolonged fixed position work increased hypertension risk by 128 and 103.4%, respectively, while engaging in physical activity for over six months reduced it by 63.7%.